Ellwood Butterfly Grove Gets $3.9 Million

Funding Will Hasten Management Plan

As seen from the bluffs, many trees in the Ellwood butterfly grove are dead, an estimated 1,260 out of 6,000, due to the long-standing drought and bug infestation.

A $3.9 million state Coastal Conservancy grant to the City of Goleta will go toward completing a management plan for the Ellwood Bluffs butterfly grove, where massive congregations of monarchs make for one of Santa Barbara County’s most remarkable and accessible displays of nature. Hundreds of dead trees — mostly killed by drought — are public-safety hazards, especially where they border the grove’s trail network. “These funds will help the city engage in a robust outreach process during the development of the management plan and also provide assistance in the restoration process,” said Mayor Paula Perotte.